Speed Linking

It's been a while since I've done speed linking, so this is a little long:

• I've written in the past of my extreme dislike of airlines nickel and dimeing us for everything. Here is a list of the worst offenders.
• Arizona has become the battleground, literally, for lots of the issues the country faces. Time did a good job of looking at my home state and their issues. And to think that Arizona was split off from New Mexico because they were considered too progressive for New Mexicans.
• Last week former NFL player Dave Duerson died by suicide, but let his family know that he wanted his brain to be donated to BU to be studied for damage as a result of his football career. Here is a great article from The New Yorker on football and concussions. Why is it the the rest of the media is not doing as good of a job of asking the tough questions about this issue that The New Yorker is?
• As the first group of people who have been dependent on 401ks approach retirement age they are finding that they don't have enough saved. This story will continue to play out and will become bigger and bigger, and as we discuss slashing pension programs it should already be a major issue.
• This is an older story, but goes to show you how out of alignment booster support of colleges has become. Robert Burton wants $3 million he gave to the University of Connecticut back because he was not consulted about the hiring of the new football coach. He says that because he is the program's top donor that he "earned" the right to have his voice heard. Wow! That takes things to a whole new level.
• The quarterback of my Arizona State Sun Devils has just announced that he is leaving football because of concussions. He has been told by doctors that his next concussion, which would be his fifth, could be devastating to his long-term health (if the first 4 haven't already been).
• In honor of President's Day, the "blackest" name in America is Washington, for many different reasons.
• This past week Clarence Thomas past the five-year mark without asking a single question from the bench. No one in history has ever gone longer than a single term without saying anything, let alone five terms.
• In the wake of the shootings in Tucson, the University of Arizona has started the National Institute for Civil Discourse. I hope it is a great success but suggest they don't discuss the rivalry between the U of A and ASU.
• And, on the other end of the collegiate spectrum, Texas has passed a bill to allow students and employees to carry guns on campus.
• Every year the t-shirts for the non-winning team in the Super Bowl (among other events) are donated to be given to people around the world. Some wonder whether this is being done for all the wrong reasons with all the wrong outcomes.
• Wondering how the economy is doing? Just follow the ordering of desserts and Starbucks coffee, according to this article.
• Say it isn't so! In order to cut costs, the Girl Scouts are cutting back on the number of cookies they offer.
• We all seem to know someone who is always insanely lucky. Here is the story of one person who not only wound up with free tickets to the Super Bowl several times, but even got an onfield pass this year.
• The idea that we are close to reaching peak oil has been around for awhile, but has widely been ridiculed. Wikileaks has revealed that the some in the government believe that Saudi Arabia is over promising their oil supply and production.
• And finally, have you ever thought, "I'd love to own a Ferrari, but I really need it to have room to carry around all my stuff?" Well your prayers have been answered with the Ferrari station wagon (I'm serious). Only 1.5 million and it's yours.